A call to action: advocating for the integration of oral health promotion and public health via sugar sweetened beverage taxation.

Abstract

We call on dental health professionals to advocate for the integration of oral health promotion into public health, and argue that a campaign for revenue from SSB taxation to be used for oral health promotion is a good place to start. The impact of sugar on health centres on obesity, diabetes and dental caries; these also have a disproportionate impact upon low income communities. Sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) are recognised as a universal major source of sugar, and it has been recommended that the amount and frequency of intake of SSBs should be limited. SSB taxes are a possible way of reducing sugar intake, as well as an effective method of integrating oral health (OH) into general health promotion. There is widespread support for these taxes from PH professionals as they have the potential to improve diet and nutrition, and by OH professionals since nutrition is an integral component of OH, and sugar reduction can reduce the incidence of caries. SSB taxes can also generate revenues which can be reinvested in healthcare to further health improvement. Despite the self-evident benefits for integration, few countries have made a concentrated effort to integrate. We argue that revenues must also be invested to promote OH through an integrated public health and dental public health approach.